This TA is fundamentally an inversion of our current contract. Both contract and TA allow cost variability, but the current contract allows pilots to choose when they are variable and for how much while the TA allows the company to control when and how much.

There's too much talk of punishing the company for certain behaviors. Oh, THEY can do X but they're PENALIZED with Y. This is the wrong mindset. Instead say WE can do X and we're REWARDED with Y. The TA does the former where our current contract does the latter.

Also, be careful of pay that is both a reward and a penalty. This is merely spin. For example: The company is penalized for giving a reserve an early assignment and a reserve is rewarded for picking up an early assignment. Where is the balance of power here? Clearly it is with the company who can force the assignment. The reserve may only choose which assignment they receive or gamble that they're not assigned. They cannot decline early assignments (those before 1000). If we kept with the current paradigm then the early reserve assignment would be 100% opt-in with a company decided premium. Obviously morning PPU is even more costly so allowing early reserve pickup is concessionary. But at least such a concession wouldn't invert control, from pilot to company.

​​​​​​That last point proves it is possible to yield to the company yet retain control of our schedules and cost variability. Since negotiations are give/take I'd expect any gives to look like that i.e. pilots are rewarded for the optional not compensated for the mandatory.

​​​​​​It won't be 20 years if we give in to this. It will be forever. You'll come to work when they say and stay home when they say. You'll make what they say. From this position you'll have zero leverage on the next contract. The PPU and other provisions on reserve and scope and reassignments and training have recently become very expensive for the company. This TA is them shrewdly buying that control for a song. Don't sell it to them for anything.